One local’s brush with a bark scorpion

I awoke to a beautiful morning on Sept. 1, and went outside to
clean up from the previous night’s wind storm. As usual, I was
barefoot. I picked up an umbrella and blindly walked onto a
scorpion. I felt the sting, yelled and immediately put my foot into
the pool. There was an immediate stinging. I ran into the house,
applied ice and took some Ibuprofen and Benadryl.

I got on the Internet and was able to find the Poison Control
number. I was told that I would probably be OK, but to call back if
needed. I did call back and she said I should probably go to the
emergency room. I am a bit stubborn and thought, “I think I will
wait and see if it will go away.”

In the meantime, I got on the couch, called my neighbor, and by
that time I could not get up because of the unbearable pain. Then
tingling began to consume my body, and I could not see and was
slurring my words. I called 911, and she said, “You probably don’t
need to go the hospital, and the ambulance will cost you a chunk of
change.”

I said, “OK.” Did I mention that I am a nurse and I have no
knowledge of scorpions, their sting or the symptoms.

I called my physician’s office and her assistant called back and
said, “We can send you pain medication, and you probably don’t need
to go the hospital.”

The symptoms were continuing to pervade my body, and I was
desperate. I called 911 again, and she said we can send paramedics.
OK, relief – my neighbor began to prepare me to go the hospital.
Five young men arrived in a fire truck. They took my vital signs
and announced that my pressure was elevated, but I wasn’t having
trouble breathing.

One said, “I was stung by a scorpion and it hurt for 24 hours. I
said, “Can’t they give me an antivenin drug?” And one of the
paramedics said, “They only give that to children.”

My neighbor kept pleading for them to take me and they said, “It
would be an hour before an ambulance could get to my house, and
they offered to help me to the car.” They were not encouraging and
said, “Well you will probably have to lie around on a gurney, and
they will just send you back home. It may be more comfortable to
stay at home.”

By that time I said, “You’re telling me I am not dying, so I
guess I will just stay here.” Again, I wasn’t anxious to be more
miserable at a hospital.

At no time did they do a neurological assessment, or did they
seem to know that I was in full neurotoxin shock because of the
venom. Their fund of knowledge seemed to center around whether I
was in anaphylactic shock, the symptoms of the basic scorpion bite,
and not the poisonous bark scorpion. Nor did they seem to assess
that I am 69 years old – danger point. I relied on them to know the
symptoms, make the proper assessment and send me to the hospital. I
should not have been asked to make that decision for myself. By
that time, my cognitive resources were in question.

After they left, I called Chandler Regional Hospital Emergency
Room, and said, “Should I come to the hospital?”

The lady on the other end, said, “No, you can use meat
tenderizer and that will help the pain.” We got the meat tenderizer
– it did not help. By this time, I am five hours into this ordeal,
which is when the symptoms are at their worst. My husband is out of
town, my children live out of state, and they are frantic.

During this time, the poison control nurse continued to call –
thank God. Talking to my neighbor, she said, “The paramedics have
no right to tell her not to go to the ER. Get her there as soon as
you can. We know what she needs.”

By that time, I was ready to go.

My neighbors helped me into the car and drove me to Chandler
Regional. As soon as I arrived, I knew I was at the right place.
They immediately said: “You have all the rare, but dangerous
symptoms of a bark scorpion sting and you are a candidate for the
antivenin serum.

After the third dose of the serum, and Morphine, I began to get
relief from the pain, the tingling rapid eye movements, quivering
tongue, body twitching and difficulty swallowing.

Now that I have given you a detailed account of my experience, I
would like to talk about what was needed.

1. I could have been more of a hypochondriac and headed for the
ER quicker. I take that responsibility.

2. All health care providers and the public should familiarize
themselves with the symptoms of the poisonous bark scorpion. None
of the providers assessed for those symptoms. They seemed to be
fixated on the pain, and that given some time, it would get better.
The research nurse at the hospital informed me that symptoms depend
on the amount of venom that is injected as to the severity of
symptoms. Obviously, when I stepped on the critter, the venom was
emptied with a force. That is an important assessment tool.

4. Those symptoms are: eyes unable to focus (rapid eye
movement), perspiring, salivating, slurring of speech (tongue is
quivering), severe pain (the pain was spasmodic and felt like
knives were piercing the skin) and arms and legs feel like a
thousand pins are sticking your skin. I had all of the above
symptoms except for the salivating, but I had taken Benadryl. Also,
remember that it is very easy to hyperventilate when one is having
severe pain. If the patient is having the above symptoms, take them
immediately to an ER. Always take children and the elderly as soon
as the sting occurs. My mistake. I probably don’t like to admit
that I am considered “elderly.” According to the literature, these
symptoms are rare, but they do happen.

5. Encourage the legislators and the Board of Regents to
continue funding the Poison Control centers. They truly saved my
life. THANK YOU.

I also say thank you to the great ER staff at Chandler Regional
Hospital, family and friends who cried, yelled and supported me
through the worst day of my life.

6. I received the antivenin (Anascorp) because Chandler Regional
Hospital participates in a four-year investigational study of the
serum, which is administered by the University of Arizona. I hope
they are able to present their results soon and receive FDA
approval. This drug has been used in Mexico for many years with no
undesirable results.

Norma J. Leslie and her husband, Truman Miller, have lived
in Ahwatukee Foothills for seven years. She has a private
counseling practice in Tempe.

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